Shock-absorber.



PATBNTED MAY 1, 19,06.

H. C. TURNER.

` SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLIOATIQN FILED AUG.31, 1905.

f' UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. TURNER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August S1, 1905. Serial No. 276,629.

l.strook-.masonesn..

Patented my 1,1906.,

ing rapidly over inequalities in the surface of the road-bed, my invention being more particularly designed 'for the purpose of permitting the sp1-'ing to retain its full resiliency 'when runnin gear of the car is thrown ulpward sudden y as the wheel or Wheels stri spring B. The usual clips `springs B to the axle C and extend above ratchet-casin an elevation in the road and to prevent sudden upward impulses of the s ring against the body of the car resulting therefrom, the upward impulse of the spring or springs be ing absorbed by. a ratchet-clutch mechanism hereinafter described, preventin thereby the disagreeable upward throw of t e car-body. I accomplish this object by means of a device described herein and shown in the accompanying drawings, Ain which- Figure 1 is an elevation of'mydevice in place on a car, a 'fragment only oi the frame of the car and of the supporting-spring being shown. Fig. 2'is a central vertical section of the ratchet and adjustable clutch mechanism,

taken on line 2 2 of'Fig. 3. Fi 3 is a transverse central vertical section o the ratchetfnd-clutch mechanism, taken on line 3 3 of 1g. 1. I-n the drawings, A is the frame, which sup ports the body ofthe car to which the device 1s secured and which rests u on the main secure the and hold the plate E in rigid en agement with the top of the s ring. A sproc et-chain F is secured at its owerl end to the plate E and extends upwardly therefrom and 1s operatively connected at its u per end with the. G. In or er to permit the spring when t e wheels strike an obstruction to be thrown rapidly upward in the direction of the body of the car and at the same time prevent the spring ,from exertinits normal strength to'suddenly throwA the ody of the car upwardly andaway from the spring,

head I of the bolt bears. -the bolt I the head I thereof will carry the -there are two, one on each side of the ratchet- ThisI inner hub member K is screw# have provided. a ball-ratchet combined with an adjustable clutch which will permit the spring to retain its unlimited resihencywhen the axleis' thrown u suddenly in the direction of the body of tI e car, but willl prevent the s ring fromimmediately exerting its full impu se upward and permit it to exert that impulse gradually and elevate the body'of the car easily and' plrevent the usual jar` occasioned therebyw en no clutch therefor is provided. The ratchet-clutch mechanism contained in the casing G is detachably secured to the frame A of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, by locking-bolt I, which extends centrally therethrough and also through a hole in the frame and 1s detachably held inv lace on the frame by the nut J. This bo t is screwthreaded its entire length and has on its outer end a head' I with a screw-driver slot therein, affording means totighten the clutch device. Lying on the outer face of the annular clutchleather. L is an annular washer U, which is keyed to the inner hub K by a keyV Outside of and resting againstthis annular Washer 1s the outer hub member V, against which the By the rotation of hub V inwardly against the friction-ring U, which in turn bears against the leather clutchrings L and serves to adjustably tighten the clutches to an extentV desired.

Countersun in the main bod portion or hub K is'an annular seat K fort e reception of the annular leather washer L, of which wheel. threaded for engagement with the bolt I, afording means, asherein explained, to regulate the clutches.

Next to the annular leather washers L and 95 forming the inside bearing therefor and on the outside ofthe ratchet-Wheel are the annular flat metallic rings M. These annular rings are secured to the ratchet-wheel (and moved therewith) by the keys O, which ex roo tend through the ratchet-wheel and project outwardly therefrom on either side into and engage the annular rings M. The conventional ratchet-wheel N is provided with a plurality of .ratchet-teeth N 4for engagement wlth the 1o 5 ratchet-balls v1: at certain pomts in its movement. 'Surrounding the ratchet-Wheel 1s the outer ratchet member Q, having pockets Q for'the reception o f the ratchet-balls. lThe outer ratchet member Q is detachably sene ratchet-casin by the screw S'.

vcured to the ratchet-casing G by the screws R. The sprocket-chain F is secured to the (See 2.) Whenthe ody of the car is elevate increasing. the distance between it and the spring it will unwind the ratchet-chain and wind u at the same time the coiled s ring T. hown in cross-section in Fig. 3.)

he impulse of this spring will when the ody of the car drops down in the direction of the running-gear, decreasing the distance between the body of the car and the'runninggear, cause the ratchet to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow-head and take up the slack in the sprocket-chain F. y Immediately the body commences an upward. movement away from the sprinfy the ratchet will operate to prevent too sudnden a rise of the body. .The power of the main spring B being greater than` the frictional resistance on the clutches will compel the body of the car to rise; but the ratchet-clutch will prevent it from 'urnping up suddenly, as it would do if the c utch did not catch it and prevent it from so doing.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A shock-absorber comprising inner and outer hub members, a clutch, means for tightening the clutch, a ratchet-casing,v a spring connecting the ratchet-casing with the inner hub and a iexible connection connected at one end to the ratchet-casing, the absorber adapted to be secured to one portion of a vehicle and the outer end of the flexible connection to another whereby to absorb the s shock caused by one in the other.

y 2. A shock-absorber comprising an inner and outer hub, clutch mechanism, means for tightening the clutch, comprising a lockingbolt having a screw-thread which turns in a megas of a vehicle and the outer end of the flexible connection rto another whereby to absorb the shock caused by one in the other.

3. In a shock-absorber, the .combination with an inner and outer hub, alocking-bolt connecting the two, a ratchet-wheel mounted on the'inner hub and provided with ratchetteeth7 an outer ratchet member havingpockets therein, and ratchet-balls interposed between the outer and inner ratchet members, of annular rings connected with the inner ratchet member, washers, a friction-ring, the locking-bolt adapted to be turned to tighten the rings and Washers, a ratchet-casing, a spring extendin from the casing to the inner hub and a flexi le connection connected at one end to the ratchet-casing.

4. The herein-described shock-absorber, comprising inner and outer hub members, -a bolt extending centrally therethrough and having external threads thereon, the inner hub member being provided with a'central screw-threaded bore for the reception of the locking-bolt;A a ratchet-wheel revolubly and concentrically mounted on said inner hub member and provided with. ratchet-teeth; an outer ratchet member dis osed concentrically with and on the outsi e of said ratchetwheel and being .provided on the inside thereof with ratchet-ball seats, ratchet-balls in said seats; a coiled spring secured at one end on said inner hub member, the outer member ofsaid spring being secured to the outer casing of the ratchet; a sprocket-chainsecured to the ratchet-casing at one end, the other end of said sprocket-chain being secured to the runningear; annular leather washers concentricaly placed on said inner hub member and adapted to be pressed together and causeJ rictional engagement between the hub member and the ratchet-casin In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22d day of August, 1905.

-HARRY C. TURNER. W itnesses:

HENRY T. HAL-sun. G. E. HARPHAM. 

